


Blessing in Disguise

by BrokenQuillZT



Category: Zootopia
Genre: Angst, Declarations Of Love, Drama & Romance, F/M, Love, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-22
Updated: 2016-06-30
Packaged: 2018-07-16 16:02:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7274539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrokenQuillZT/pseuds/BrokenQuillZT
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nick finds himself sitting in a bar, drowning himself in powerful vintage whiskey, after what was supposed to be the happiest day of his life. He replays the events that led him to this moment and the local barkeep serves him a new perspective.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

When did life become so complicated?

The movies made it sound so simple, specifically the sappy romantic comedies Judy always forced him to watch. You’re supposed to meet a really nice girl, hit it off, get married, have kits, and eventually grow old together. For Nick, it was about the halfway point of that list where it seemed everything went to shit.

Today was supposed to be the happiest day of his life, and yet here he was, drowning his heartbreak in a bottle of vintage, curiously strong whiskey. He had met Victoria through his police partner Judy, a mutual friend. She was a new resident in her building at the time, and Judy’s natural charisma made her feel welcome. Victoria’s fur was accentuated by the simple casual clothes she would wear, usually jeans and a graphic t-shirt under an old stained red hoodie. Contrary to the vibe her fashion choice gave off, the gray fox (who was roughly Nick’s age) was intelligent, headstrong, and an aspiring screenwriter. In fact, that was the main reason Judy introduced her to Nick. After hearing Victoria’s film idea, Judy mentioned Nick’s experience as a conman (which Judy reworded by calling it his “skill set as an unofficial police consultant,” which wasn’t a total lie), might prove helpful in bringing out a sense of realism in her screenplay. At first, Nick was reluctant to meet up, but eventually agreed to go once she promised him a box of fresh blueberries from the Hopps Family Farm. And so, one meeting turned into several, and before long, Victoria was able to produce a thrilling story about a seasoned con artist hired by two dangerous criminal organizations and finds himself torn between the loyalties of the Sahara Square drug cartel and the Tundratown mob. She sent the script to an independent film company that brought her story to life. Her film received about 1.3 million hits on Zootube, which surprisingly proved enough for a few screenwriting companies to take notice.

Although her film was produced, that didn’t stop Nick and Victoria from seeing each other. What started out as a few meetings in the same coffee shop escalated into a few trips to the movie house, then a few late night dinners, and even a couple of instances where she brought Nick home, which resulted in more than a few awkward encounters with Judy in the hallway. This went on for about one and a half years before Nick had built up the nerve to fish deep in the junk drawer in his apartment and bring out his mom’s safety deposit box key. One of the few possessions left to him by his late mother.

Judy ended up driving Nick to the bank just as it opened. “Nick? Why the big hurry all of a sudden?” She had asked.

“Just something I have to do, Carrots.” Nick replied, his muzzle buried in his paws in contemplation. Judy glanced at Nick somewhat worriedly. Nick would usually at least try and make a non-answer like that humerous. What has him so serious?

Nick took a deep breath as the banker brought out his mother’s safety deposit box while Judy watched curiously. Nick unlocked it and flipped the lid open. Its contents were few. A photo of Nick and his mother, beaming proudly as Nick wore his Junior Ranger Scouts uniform before the events that took place later that day, some old photographs of Nick’s mom and dad long before Nick was in the picture, some assorted documents, and a small velvet covered box, which was Nick’s primary objective.

Nick took the small box and held it up as he sighed. Judy slowly approached behind him, looking over his shoulder and gasping softly. “Nick, is that…”

“It was my mother’s…” Nick articulated, opening the box to reveal a simple diamond engagement ring. “Above everything else, she wanted me to live the life she couldn’t give me. ‘Find a girl who completes you, a girl you realize you can’t live without… and give her this…’” Nick cleared his throat, fighting to put on a brave face as he relived his mother’s dying moments.

“And you think Victoria’s the right girl?” Judy questioned, her big amethyst eyes darting from the ring and back at him.

“Not just think, Carrots.” Nick responded, holding the ring at different angles, “I know she is.” He shut the box and stuffed it into his pants pocket.

“Oh…” Judy frowned for a brief second before regaining her composure as Nick shut the box and slipped it back into his pocket. “When are you going to ask her?”

“Tonight. I’m gonna surprise her at her place.”

“Wow. Seems pretty sudden.” Judy cleared her throat and nodded, her long ears lowering slightly and her eyes fixated to the dark green carpet. “Good for you, Nick. Really.”

Nick turned to face her, concerned but still walking. “Carrots? You alright..?”

Before Judy could answer, her phone rang. She held up a finger to Nick as she pulled her phone out with her other paw. She plugged in her headphones and inserted one bud into her ear before she answered, holding her phone out in front of her. Nick only heard one half of the conversation between her and, judging on the caller ID, Chief Bogo. “Officer Hopps… Yes sir… No sir… Really?… I’ll be over as soon as I can… Yes sir… Goodbye.”

She hung up her phone and tugged the earbud out of her ear before turning back to Nick. “Sorry… The chief’s busting my butt about some late reports… And he says he’s gotta see me about something else… I gotta run.”

Nick smirked. “Don’t let me keep you.”

“You be alright walking home? He said this really couldn’t wait”

“I’ll be fine, Carrots. Go on”

Judy smiled. “Thanks, Nick. Good luck tonight!” she declared before bounding back to her car.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick hurries home after the bank after his trip to the bank and prepares himself for that night, mentally, physically, and fashionably. Just before he makes it up to Victoria’s apartment, he runs into Judy, struggling to bring home an armful of groceries.

Nick half-ran-half-walked back to his apartment, stopping only to buy a bouquet of red roses from a nearby flower shop. He patted the ring box in his pocket as he climbed the stairs up to his apartment. He had a few hours before he knew Victoria would be back from writing at the library. In that time, he showered, brushed his fur, and dressed up more than usual, yet still retaining a semblance of a casual look. He checked himself out in the mirror once he was done, his heart pounding almost visibly through his shirt. He undid the top three buttons of his white dress shirt and threw on a slim blue blazer, tugging at the lapels. He slipped into a pair of charcoal slacks before checking his watch. Just enough time to walk to Victoria’s/Judy’s apartment complex. He winked at his reflection, shot a finger-pistol at himself, and clicked his tongue before sliding the box into his jacket pocket and grabbing the bouquet. He reached his paw to his doorknob before pausing. He exhaled hard to calm his nerves before twisting the knob sharply and slamming the door behind him.

By the time he reached the apartment complex, he saw Judy struggling to open her door with her arms full of groceries. He let out a chuckle as he approached her, setting down the flowers against the wall and taking one of the bags from her arms. “Careful, Fluff. Don’t want to throw your back out, do you?”

Judy smirked as Nick took one of her bags. “I’m younger than you are, Nick. I think you’ll have that issue before I will”

Nick glanced down at the bags. “This is an awful lot of food.”

She nodded as she unlocked her door. “Yeah. The chief assigned me to oversee the batch of new recruits at the academy. I’ll be gone a while, and I don’t need to tell you how bad the academy cafeteria food can be sometimes…”

Nick’s heart sank when he heard this. He wasn’t going to see Judy for several months now. Their shared desk was going to feel a lot bigger, patrol a lot longer… the whole work day in general a lot quieter…“When are you going to leave?”

“Three days.” Judy sighed. “Hope you don’t mind riding solo for a few months!” She tried her best to sound chipper, but Nick could tell that she was as disappointed as he was, if not more.

Nick half-faked a snicker. “What, you think I won’t last without you? You think I’ll miss your caterwauling to Gazelle in the squad car? You think I’ll miss the way you steal the blueberry jam-filled doughnuts that you KNOW belong to me? Ha! Keep dreaming, Carrots.”

The pair laughed for a moment before it quieted down again. They stared at each other for a while and Judy glanced at the flowers propped up against the wall. Her ears lowered a little bit as her smile dissolved. “Tonight’s the night, huh?”

Nick nodded. “That it is, Fluff.”

“Nick, I…” She started only to hesitate with her mouth hanging open, as though there was more she wanted to say. Her eyes darted off to the side of her as she searched for the right words to say.

“Hmm?”

“I… I need… need to…”

“Spit it out, Hopps…”

“I…” She sighed slightly, a hint of defeat emanating from her exhale, closing her eyes for a moment in annoyance. “I need my groceries back”

“Oh! Right…” Nick placed the bag of groceries back into his partner’s arms. Judy smiled, a smile that Nick would realize lacked legitimacy only in retrospect. “I’m proud of you, Nick. Really. I hope she’s everything you ever wanted.

“Thanks, Carrots.”

“Now, go get em, tiger! Or fox… or…” Judy’s ears grew red as she lowered them, glancing off to the side, embarrassed.

Nick laughed as he set a paw on top of Judy’s head, stroking it slowly. Judy closed her eyes and smiled warmly for a moment before looking back up at Nick with her beady amethyst eyes once again. He sighed and smiled back. “Take care of yourself, alright? Those recruits can be scrappy.”

“Go, go!” Judy insisted, her smile looking too big to be natural. But Nick overlooked that. “You’re keeping her waiting..!”

Nick grinned as he went back and picked up his flowers. He took a deep breath as he climbed the flight of stairs that led to Victoria’s apartment. Nick’s ear twitched as he heard Judy mutter something solemny under her breath, like she was beating herself up about something, barely audible except for the last three words: “…you dumb fox…”

“Sorry, what was that?” Nick spun around halfway up the stairs. But Judy’s door had already closed.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick recounts the main reason why he’s binge drinking alone.

For Nick, the next few months started to blur together as he struggled to force Victoria out of his mind. Only key moments stuck out in his mind, from him crouching on one knee in Victoria’s front door, ring in paw, to Victoria’s beaming expression of shock, both paws over her muzzle, to the wedding planning, to the wedding invitations to his coworkers, to his disappointment that Judy would be too busy at the academy to attend, and to the wedding itself, still fresh in his mind… and easily one of the most traumatizing events comparable only to his initiation to the Junior Ranger Scouts in his youth.

Now Nick sat at the bar, still dressed in a tux with the collar unbuttoned and his bow tie untied and draped around his neck, a glass of hard liquor glued to his paw. Normally, Nick wouldn’t drink anything stronger than the occasional brewski or glass of wine, but this day in particular was one he intended to forget. He tightened his grip on the glass as he relived the past few hours in his mind.

Nick stood at the altar, his groomsmen at his side, among them being Finnick, Clawhauser, Fangmeyer, and even the Chief. The other guests sat in the pews, chattering excitedly for the event they expected to come.

“Congratulations, Nick!”

“Don’t congratulate me just yet, Fangmeyer. I’m not married yet.”

“Yet.” Fangmeyer noted, chuckling to himself.

Nick glanced at his watch. What’s keeping her?

“Ooohhh, Nick!” Clawhauser squealed, “I’m so excited for you! Admittedly, it isn’t quite the way I expected this would happen, but still…” His stomach interrupted his thoughts as it grumbled. At this point, he was eager to head to the reception,

Nick glanced concerned at Clawhauser before chuckling and turning to his oldest friend.“Finn? Go see what’s taking Victoria so long?”

“Yeah, yeah…” Finnick grumbled, climbing down from the altar, walking down the aisle until his ears disappeared around the corner.

Nick took another deep breath and rubbed his paws together, his heart pounding in his chest as he tried to calm his nerves. The chief laughed.

“Something funny, sir?”

“Relax, Wilde. You’re just entering in the most dangerous contract in life. Hell of a lot more than being a cop.”

Several of the veterans in the audience chuckled along. Some even went as far to exclaim, “Preach!” and “You said it, chief!”

Nick chuckled along with the other males. “Well, it’s one of the most worthwhile, I’m… told…” He trailed off when he saw Finnick slowly trudge back into the room, his paw clenched into a little fist. He looked up at Nick solemnly without saying a word.

“Finnick? What’s going on?” The rest of the room silenced, so much so that the small fox’s baritone voice resonated significantly more than usual.

“Nick… I’m so sorry…” Finnick reached up and took one of Nick’s paws, pads up. In his paw, he placed a folded piece of paper with his name in cursive and a ring. His mother’s wedding ring… the same one he gave to Victoria…

Nick’s ears flattened as he stared down at the ring in his paw, speechless. He looked to Finnick, then back at his paw, then to his groomsmen. They all seemed as distraught as he was.

“Did you see her?”

Finnick shook his head “She’s gone, Nick… I’m so sorry…”

Clawhauser placed both paws over his muzzle and rushed over to Nick, wrapping him in a constrictive embrace, tears in his eyes. “Nick! Oh, Nick..!”

Bogo slowly stepped behind Nick. “Wilde… Nick… I… I’m sorry this happened to you… Someone like you… you deserved more than this…” Everyone seemed to say the same thing. And who could blame them? No one else understood how Nick could possibly be feeling. He always prided himself on keeping his emotions to himself, so he refused to show how much pain he was really in. But his impenetrable walls began to crack.

Fangmeyer groaned and rubbed his eyes as he approached. “Nick… I suddenly feel like an asshole for what I said earlier…” The way he said it made it seem he was trying to lighten the mood.

But Nick was far from a joking mood. A maelstrom of emotions flooded him. Rage, betrayal, embarrassment… relief? No, that couldn’t be right. All he knew for sure is that he couldn’t be sure of what he was feeling, and that the sheer amount of eyes on him wasn’t helping. His emotional dams were dangerously close to bursting. He couldn’t stay here. He needed to get away, before he embarrassed himself further.

“I have to go.” Nick mumbled, pushing everyone off of him. He shoved the ring and paper into his tuxedo pocket.

“Nick, wait…” Clawhauser started.

“I’m FINE!” He stressed, coming out louder and angrier than he had meant. Everyone flinched and stepped back at his sudden outburst. “I just…” He sighed in a more controlled voice. “I have to go…”

He started out the church doors, furiously unraveling his bow tie and undoing the top buttons of his shirt. “Sorry you all wasted your time, everyone. Take a goodie bag on your way out… and… help yourselves to some cake…”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick reads Victoria’s parting words to himself as he finds his way to the bar he will find himself in well into the night.

For how long Nick walked, or where he was going, he wasn’t sure. He was so invested in his thoughts that all sense of time disappeared. He thought for sure that Victoria was the one. She took such an interest in him, and what they had, it felt real. At least it felt real to him. How could she be willing to throw away the past one and a half years just like that? Did he do something wrong? Was there really a spark on her end to begin with? How was he going to tell Judy about all this? He pulled the letter out from his pocket, determined. He needed to know. Nick ran his paw over his name and unfolded it. He pictured Victoria voicing over the words as he read them.

Nick,

I know you have no reason to listen to anything I have to say anymore, but please let me at least try to explain what’s going on. And after that, I’ll be out of your life forever.

First off, I really did like you. Growing up, I was never exactly what everyone else thought of when they thought of their “dream girl” And I accepted that. But then you came along. What started as help on a screenplay evolved into something more. Something intimate. Just when I had just about given up, the girl that no one liked, the girl that accepted that she would live life alone, that girl suddenly had someone to call her own. Someone she loved, and that someone loved her back. But recently, especially in the past few weeks, It became clear that I wasn’t the girl for you. Believe me, I tried to fight for it. I really did. But the more I fought it, the more it became clearer and clearer to me. And this seriously is really late, and I apologize, but I can’t marry you. Not when it’s clear that your heart belongs to someone else, even if you may not realize it yet.

I know you’re probably beyond pissed right now, so it’s probably best if I leave you with this. Thank you, Nick, for everything. Thank you for the help on the screenplay, thank you for all the fantastic memories. I hope they’ll be times you can look back on fondly, because I know they are for me. But most of all, thank you for rekindling my faith in love. Even if we didn’t end up together like either of us might have hoped, you helped me realize just how special I am, and how special I can be to someone else. Because of you I picked up what I thought I gave up on. And for that, I’m seriously eternally grateful. I’ll keep you in my heart. And believe me, while it probably kills you to say it now, you’ll get over me. Sooner than you think

-V

Nick read the letter twice over, and then thrice. Not when it’s clear your heart belongs to someone else… The more times he read the letter, the more he convinced himself that she was just making up excuses. He convinced himself that most of these were lies designed to make him feel less hurt. She broke his heart, threw away almost two years between them. How could she possibly be sincere after leaving him at the altar?

He crumpled the letter angrily and thrust it into a nearby barrel fire which three homeless animals surrounded. They eyed him concerned, whispering theories pertaining to Nick’s situation. He was in his own world at the moment, one of rage, bitterness, despair… He cut himself off from the real world for several more blocks By the time he regained his senses, his feet ached from the endless walking and he was standing outside a bar he had never seen before, dubbed The Watering Hole. He shoved the door open and he plopped himself down onto a stool. Not just because he was tired or thirsty, but because above all, he wanted to forget everything that happened today, everything in the past two years if possible.. The barkeep made his way over to Nick. He was another fox, roughly his height. His fur was a brighter shade of red than Nick, and his ears had a black stripe running horizontal behind the white tips. In terms of clothing, he wore a black vest over a purple button down shirt, rolled up at the sleeves. He leaned over the bar toward Nick and opened his mouth to say something only to have Nick beat him to it.

“The strongest you got.” Nick hissed flatly.

The barkeep nodded and set a glass down on the bar and retrieved a bottle of aged whiskey from the shelf. He filled the glass and Nick set his paw on the bottle. “Leave that here.”

More patrons called for the barkeep behind and he rushed back. Once again, Nick was alone with his feelings and thoughts as time was incalculable. Before long, the sun behind him was long gone, he watched the liquor level in the bottle dwindle, and the once busy bar scene was reduced to him and a few slobbering drunks. In that time, his phone buzzed relentlessly in his pocket. Whoever it was could wait. He needed time to think. Time alone.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Late into the night, the barkeep makes himself known to Nick and helps to open a window to shed some light on his situation (Also, is my inspiration behind this scene too obvious?)

Nick set his phone on silent and angrily slapped it down on the bar, resting his head on the counter, sighing. He shoved the glass aside and had raised the bottle to his lips when he felt a weight on the other end of the bottle forcing it back down. “Easy there, Special Agent… I have to serve that to other customers too.”

Nick looked up at the barkeep confused, then he chuckled half-heartedly. “Oh, right. The tux…” Nick was surprisingly articulate despite the amount of alcohol he ingested. Nick had been so quiet in his time there that he drank enough to surpass “Tipsy Nick” and even “Mumbly-Giggly Nick” without his realizing. Now he found himself in the realm of “Truthful Nick,” a level of drunkenness he seldom reached

He nodded back. “You’re awfully dressed up for someone having a bad day.”

“What makes you think I’m having a bad day?”

“You mean aside from the tux with the undone bow tie and shirt collar, the bottle you’re insistent on keeping, and the angry phone slap from earlier?” He laughed. “The fact that you’ve been here since… Oh…. 6:00 ish? You’re not exactly trying to hide it, Mister Wilde. Or would ‘Officer’ be more appropriate?”

“You know me?”

The barkeep pointed up on a framed newspaper article next to the clock above the bar. It depicted a scene from one of the happier days in Nick’s life. Judy pinned Nick’s police badge on him for the first time at his graduation. The headline in boldface font just above Nick and Judy’s beaming face read… well,he couldn’t read it so well anymore, since he’s drunk almost a full bottle of liquor, but he remembered it reading something along the lines of “ZPD Welcomes its First Vulpine Officer ” or something like that.

“About every predator knows your face, if not every fox! Y’know, it’s because of you I was able to get a loan from the bank to open this place up.” He gestured to the room around him. “Banks saw me the same as other foxes like you. Sly, untrustworthy, shifty… But you opened their eyes to some much needed perspective. (think I read that somewhere…) Of course, it may not seem like much now, but… give it a few years of successful business… this place is gonna be big.”

He leaned closer. “And I don’t have to be a cop to know you’ve got a lot on your mind. By the way, uh… That liquor you finished ain’t cheap…”

Nick’s eyes widened as he fumbled drunkenly for the bottle, knocking it over and sending what was left of the liquor all over the counter. “Oh… shit… dammit, I… hold on…” His paws flew to his pants pocket for his wallet. The friendly barkeep raised a paw, smiling politely. “No. You really want to pay me back? Let me help you out this time. Tell me what’s wrong.”

Nick shrugged and leaned against the bar. “Thanks, uh…”

“Ryuichi. My friends call me Ryu. Or Ry. Y’know, like the bread.”

“Ryu…” Nick continued, heaving a heavy sigh, his ears flattening. He pulled out his mother’s ring and set it on the counter. “This was supposed to be someone else’s today…”Yep, he was definitely “Truthful Nick.” Or maybe Ryuichi had some natural charisma to him. Or perhaps meeting Judy compromised the integrity of his emotional walls.

Ryu looked off to the side and his ears flattened. “I’m… really sorry to hear that.”

“Yeah. So was everyone else.”

“There’s probably nothing I can say here that’ll make this hurt any less, is there?”

“Unless you say, ‘How about another bottle, on the house?’”

Ryu laughed. “Officer, you can hide your drunkenness pretty damn well, I’ll give you that. But anyone who’s drunk that much whiskey… especially that particular brand… in one sitting surely isn’t driving tonight.”

Ryu pulled away from the bar and started to sop up the spilled whiskey with a rag that was slung over his shoulder. “You know what I think? And you’ll probably hate me for this… I don’t think you ever fully loved her.”

Nick froze, anger flaring up inside of him. Who the hell did this barkeep think he was? Of course he loved her! He was going to marry her, god damn it! Spend the rest of his days with this woman! He clenched his glass and scowled at him. “What..?” He snarled, teeth bared.

“You heard me. Now, listen to what I have to say. I’m not denying you loved her. But I don’t believe you loved her fully.”

Nick bared his teeth again, eyes narrowed into slits, his voice rising in anger. “How dare… How could you say that?!?” He was borderline savage. It took every iota inside him not to clock Ryuichi over the head with the bottle.

Ryuichi held up his paws in surrender. “Just a thought, Officer. But hear me out. You’re not the only one who came in here with a broken heart trying to forget a heartbreak. Most of the others, they’re sobbing their eyes out, staring at pictures of their special someone… The ones that act tough break down after their third or fourth round. Not you, sir. Not a single tear in the time you’ve been here. And the longest you’ve looked at your phone was a few minutes ago. I don’t care how tough you think you are. This stuff…” He shook the now empty bottle of whiskey. “It weakens you. You should’ve started breaking down crying about… here.” He pointed a digit roughly halfway down the now empty bottle.

Ryu set the bottle down as Nick rose from his seat, fists clenched, seemingly ready to beat the shit out of the barkeep. Ryuichi held up another paw. “Sit down, I’m not done.” He rested both elbows down on the bar in front of Nick. 

“Call me a hopeless romantic or whatever, but I truly believe everyone has someone out there for them. And I also believe that those people cross paths at some point in their lives. Whether or not they stay in each other’s lives is up to them. See, a connection like that is a sort of…” He waved his paws in a circle as he tried to think up of the right phrasing. “‘Ultimate lifelong treasure.’ God, that sounds cheesy. Now other people come into your life that fit, but just not quite as well as that one other person would. Those are sort of… Oh, screw trying to name things… the thing that’s almost what you want, but not quite.”

Nick rolled his eyes. Even in his inebriated state, this sounded incredulous. Was this fox being serious? Nick was willing to bet the bank had other reasons to keep the loan from him if he’s talking like that. Destiny? Fate? He hardly believed in the stuff. But the crazed barkeep might have a point. “Alright, I’ll humor you. How exactly would you know when you meet this ‘ultimate lifelong treasure?’”

“You’ll feel it.” Ryu said simply

Nick rolled his eyes again. That was something straight out of a Nicholas Barks movie. “Oh, please…”

“Oh, you laugh. It may take some time for you to really feel it, but you’ll know. I can’t accurately describe it, but when you do feel it, you’ll feel it coursing through you like a river with class-six rapids, filling you and emptying you all at once. You’ll feel it throughout your body… Your head, heart, stomach, soul… Now tell me, did you feel that way about your fiance?”

Nick thought back to every moment Victoria and he spent together. The cafes, the movies, her apartment… even the carnival at one point… But every moment he could think of, he realized that the time he spent with her felt no different than any other moment he spent with someone else. He tried harder to force it, but the more he focused on one instance, the more it seemed he pushed it away. He looked down into his empty glass, lips pursed, as the barkeep interrupted his thought once again.

“If you have to think about it, then you haven’t felt it.”

Nick’s eyes shut and he let out a defeated sigh. Ryu was right. He hated to admit it, but he was right. He loved Victoria, yes, but not to the full extent of what he could. And the more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed that Nick likely would never been able to have loved Victoria at that level.

“Don’t worry too much about it. It happens more often than most care to admit.” He lifted himself from the counter again and started wiping the bar down. “Everyone feels it. You just never know when, or where. The sad thing is that few pursue it, simply because they don’t realize it soon enough or they ignore it altogether”

Ryuichi turned to Nick, who’s attention was still fixated on his empty glass, and smiled. “It may be disorienting or scary, but you’ll find yourself loving every moment of it. You treat what you have as though it’s the most valuable thing on earth and everyone wants it. You garrison that connection as though it could be severed at any moment. You labor endlessly as though the slightest complacency in your work would result in complete destruction. Because the fact of the matter is, all three instances are true and therefore possible.”

Ryuichi put a paw on Nick’s shoulder, muttering something along the lines of “I got some tidying up to do. Stay strong, buddy,”smiling before he headed down the bar to wash some dishes, leaving Nick with his thoughts. Ryu’s wisdom seemed to hold more and more truth the more the thought about them. He found himself thinking back, Starting with the botched wedding and slowly making his way back. To the wedding planning, to the proposal, to him running into Judy outside her apartment…

Judy… Hm…

Now he was thinking even farther back, this time moving forward. His pawpsicle hustling, the missing mammals case, the press conference, the three months after… the bridge…

Those last three stuck with him especially. He allowed himself to replay his anger, his pain, but more so his longing and relief. Her embrace, the comfort in her amethyst eyes, the way she smelled strangely of fresh produce and blueberries… the even stranger way he loved it… and later, her pride as she pinned his badge for the first time… It all made him feel…

“I felt it.” Nick suddenly stated, ears perked up.

“Hmm?” Ryuichi grunted, drying a beer mug with a fresh rag.

“I felt all of it… And I hadn’t realized it.” He buried his head in his paws. “Oh, god, what the hell’s wrong with me?.. I’m such a fucking idiot…”

Ryu looked out to the door, among the hustle and bustle of the city despite the late hour.

“Ten hut, Officer Wilde. I think someone’s looking for you.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Familiar, gentle hands come to help pick up the pieces of Nick’s heart. Those same hands suddenly become a sympathetic ear and comforting shoulder for Nick to cry on. And he has a lot on his mind that he needs to vent.

Nick heard the door swung open and closed, and a gentle thump thump thump slowly approached him from behind, sounding unsure as it got closer. Nick refused to move, silently pleading that whoever that was sat far away. Suddenly, he felt a small gentle paw on his thigh, coupled with a familiar, comforting voice. “Nick?”

Nick flinched and inhaled sharply at the touch. What was she doing here? She wasn’t supposed to be back for another month, at least! But it didn’t matter anymore. She’s risking her job because somehow, she knew he was hurting. She was there now, and he desperately needed someone to lean on. And boy, how was he going to explain everything? He lowered a paw down on the bunny’s head. “Hey, Carrots” he slurred. “You’re home early…”

Judy sighed in half-relief-half-sympathy and hugged Nick. At least, from the waist up as he sat on the barstool. “The others texted me, and I came as soon as I heard. I tried calling you, but your phone went straight to voicemail and I was so worried and I… and I…” She seemed dangerously close to being on the verge of tears herself. :Nick, I’m so sorry this happened to you! I should have been there! You deserved so much more than that! If I ever see Victoria again, I swear, I’ll… I’ll...”

“Fluff…”

“Nick?”

Nick started off the stool, but his vision blurred and his legs gave way underneath him. He let the entirety of himself fall upon his partner with a grunt from both of them. “Oof..! Nick, are you okay?”

“He’s had a rough day.” Ryuichi commented from behind the counter. “He drank a lot…”

Judy coughed after turning her nose away from Nick’s muzzle, “Yeah, I can tell.”

“You’re Judy, right? Judy Hopps? His partner?”

“Yeah.”

“He can’t be left alone right now. He had a big revelation, and it’s arguable as to whether or not he’ll remember any of it. Either way, he’s vulnerable.”

Judy nodded understandingly. “I’ll watch over him, don’t worry.” She hoisted her partner’s arm more over her shoulder. “C’mon, Slick…”

“Take care, you two” Ryuichi waved from behind the counter

Nick simply grumbled as the pair made their way out the bar. Nick let most of his weight fall on Judy, and she stumbled to keep the both of them steady. “Nick, I’m so sorry about what happened.” She kept repeating. “I’m here for you if you need me.” The words fell upon deaf ears as Nick once again became totally engrossed in his thoughts.

The long walk back was filled with either silence or apologies. Nick and Judy stumbled to Nick’s apartment (It was a bit of a farther walk, but Judy’s was too close to Victoria). The stairs proved to be a hefty obstacle, but the bunny and inebriated fox conquered it nonetheless. Nick looked up to see they were at his door and wordlessly fumbled for his keys. He searched in vain in his pants pockets for his keys only to find them in his jacket pocket. Nick heard something fall to the ground with a sharp ting when he pulled his keys out. His eyes fell upon his mother’s wedding ring as he stared at it silently. He held his keys in his mouth as he reached down with his free paw toward the ring. Nick’s fingers were inches away from it, but could reach no further. Come on, damn it, Nick pleaded as he reached for the ring in vain. He bit down harder on his keys and began to grunt in frustration when Judy knelt down and picked it up herself. She tilted the ring at different angles, watching the diamond shimmer in the light above them, and Nick noticed her eyes sparkle along with it.

“It’s beautiful, Nick.” She whispered. Judy slipped the ring back into his tuxedo pocket and plucked the keys from Nick’s mouth.

“Thanks, Judy.”

Judy. Wow, this is really getting serious if he’s calling her by her real name now. She gave the doorknob a sharp twist and pushed the door open. She had been in his apartment before, but it was significantly cleaner than usual. Now she had almost no problem navigating across the living room to Nick’s bedroom. Except for the intoxicated fox thrown around her like a heavy comforter. “C’mon, Nick. Let’s get you to bed.”

Judy stood on her tiptoes to gently ease Nick onto his bed. Nick sat straight up as he started to fumble with his tuxedo shirt, slowly but surely unbuttoning the whole shirt and taking it off along with the jacket. Judy had started on his pants but Nick gently shoved her paws off and began work on the pants himself. He kicked them to the floor, leaving him sitting on his bed in his underwear. It was clear now. He had to tell her. Right now. Or he would regret it for as long as he would live.

“Nick, I’m staying here tonight.” Judy declared as she picked up his pants and hung them on the hangar.

“Judy…”

“Don’t try to talk me out of it, my mind's made up. You’re hurt and vulnerable and you’re in no condition to be alone right now.” Now she hopped up on the bed and snatched the tuxedo jacket and shirt from behind Nick. She proceeded to hang those up along with the pants.

“Judy…”

“If you’re worried about sleeping arrangements, I'll sleep on the couch. I’m small, so it should suit me fine. You still keep your spare sheets and pillows under the bed, right?”

“JUDY!”

Nick’s outburst hurt Judy as she flinched, frowned and flattened her ears against her head and back, but she knew he didn’t mean it. He was hurt really badly, he was drunk… He just wasn’t himself right now.

Judy climbed up on the bed and sat down next to him. Nick shifted his body so he was facing her. He took his partner by the shoulders with both paws and stared intently at her, the scent of expensive whiskey lingering on his breath.

“Judy, today was definitely not one of my best. But at the same time, it put a lot of things into perspective. I had a talk with the barkeep and he helped me realize things. And I want to get this all out now before I slip out of ‘Truth-drunk Nick’ and into ‘Mumbly and giggly Nick’, or possibly pass out and become ‘Hangover Nick’ or ‘Sober Nick’ tomorrow morning and forget everything or deny these feelings and keep them locked up inside until they destroy me.”

Judy simply nodded, maintaining her gaze toward her partner as she struggled to keep from smelling Nick’s drunk breath. She detected the sense of urgency in his voice, and braced herself for whatever he had to vent onto her.

“Judy Hopps, I love you.” Nick stated bluntly, wasting nearly no time at all.

Well, except for that.

For a moment, Judy said and did nothing as she absorbed what Nick had told her, and suddenly lost all composure as her eyes widened and she gasped, shocked. She brought one paw over her mouth as her ears perked up and felt as though they were ablaze. He said it as though it were the single thing in the world that he knew for certain. Any other levels of “Drunk Nick” would never say it that convincingly. Hell, even “Sober Nick” wouldn’t have said it quite the same way.

“I love you.” Nick reiterated. “Damn it, it feels so good to say. I thought back to when we first met all the way up to the bridge. And when I did, it all rushed over me. I remembered how lost I was without you, and how I expected you to pop back into my life at every waking moment until you finally did”

Judy’s little heart pounded so hard, the center of her ZPD Academy shirt thumped along with it. She breathed faster and harder, smiling as tears flowed freely down her cheeks. She had only cried like that one time before, and that was when Nick finally forgave her for what she said at the press conference.

“And now… I can’t look at you the same way… I feel strange around you… And quite frankly, if you ask me, that’s terrifying. But at the same time, that’s okay, because…”

His words were interrupted when a familiar mass of grey fur suddenly grabbed his chest fur, yanked his body forward, and flew up towards his face. He let out a surprise “Mmmph!” before he realized what was happening. He gasped and refused to exhale, pointing his eyes down as far as they would go.

It was Judy. Of course, it was obvious now, but in Nick’s defense, the past few moments were disorienting to say the least. She was extremely close right now. Her lips were pressed passionately against his. He let out a slow shaky exhale and closed his eyes, gently wrapped his arms around her back and head, and even pushed a little bit back towards her. There are some moments in everyone’s lifetimes that feel like they last forever. Even if that’s all they are… moments. For Nick, there was horror of his Junior Ranger Scout Initiation, and for Judy there was the terror of Gideon. For the both of them, they had the press conference, the bridge, Nick’s graduation… And now this.

Judy finally broke from the kiss,breathing heavily, and slowly opened her eyes, staring through Nick’s emerald eyes directly into his soul. She beamed. Through his eyes, drunk or not, she knew Nick wasn’t lying about any of this. “Oh hush, you dumb fox. Being sappy really doesn’t suit you.”

Nick snickered. “Of course, Officer Fluffy Hop… I’ll leave the emotional strufflahghusls tahyeeewww...”

“Nick?”

Now every sound Nick made came out as an indistinct amalgamation of grunts and syllables, broken up by occasional bouts of giggles and laughter.

Judy sighed. “So, ‘truth-drunk’ Nick is gone?” She gently slapped his cheek. “That’s fine. I think you said all you needed to say.”

Nick snickered and mumbled in agreement.

“Oh, and in case you forget…” She pulled the notorious carrot pen from under the blanket.

“I want to get this all out now before I slip out of ‘Truth-drunk Nick’ and into ‘Mumbly and giggly Nick’, or possibly pass out and become ‘Hangover Nick’ or ‘Sober Nick’ tomorrow morning and forget everything or deny these feelings and keep them locked up inside until they destroy me.”

She fast forwarded it.

“I love you. Damn it, it feels so good to say. I thought back to when we first met all the way up to the bridge. And when I did, it all rushed over me. I remembered how lost I was without you, and how I expected you to pop back into my life at every waking moment until you finally did.”

She rewinded it just enough to hear him say…

“Judy Hopps, I love you.”

She finally clicked it off, smirking. “I never will. And I’ll be damned before I let you”

She slid off the bed and headed for the living room. She suddenly stopped walking when Nick caught one of her ears and jerked her head back.

“Nick, no…” she laughed. “You’re drunk. Let me go.”

Nick groaned.

“I’ll just be in the next room, alright?”

Silence. Except for a sudden periodic SNRRRRK.

All the whiskey had finally caught up with Nick. Judy spun around to see that the fox’s paw now hung limply off the side of the bed. His jaw hung half-open and his tongue, like his tail, fell flaccid against the mattress. His back seemed to rise and fall in time with the sick engine sound she could only assume was snoring. “Mumbly-giggly Nick”, or whatever he called it, disappeared as quickly as he appeared. Now replaced with… well, “Blackout Nick”.

Judy couldn’t help but creep back over to her partner and plant a small kiss on his forehead. “We have a lot to talk aboUU…”

Judy yelped in surprise when the fox unconsciously scooped her up with one arm and wrapped her in his arms, squeezing her back to his chest. He rested his chin on top of her head and sighed contentedly, as though she were a body pillow.

She dared not move. When she was sure Nick was completely asleep, she began to try and slither out of his grip. But as soon as she tried, Nick tightened his embrace. Judy decided to just stay here for the night rather than risk the fox suffocating her all night. She laid her arm down over Nick’s and took a deep breath, taking in his warmth and cuddling against his soft chest fur. The tight squeeze she was in now seemed to inviting to try and escape from. Nick’s snoring suddenly turned into white noise for Judy, and not one minute after closing her eyes, sleep overtook her.

And it was the best sleep she’s had in a long long time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that’s the (expected) end of my first fanfiction ever. The way I did this one was write out the whole story before even posting the first chapter. That way I wouldn’t have to worry as much about maintaining a consistent posting schedule, plot holes, etc. If you all show enough interest, I MIGHT make one more chapter that takes place the morning after, or maybe make that a fic all on its own. Let me know what you all thought about my first fanfic, where I could improve, what changes, etc, and whether or not you’d like to see more. I’m actually working on another fic right now that focuses a little more on a sort of police drama-esque thing? Possibly a romantic subplot? I dunno. Details will come out soon


	7. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick barely remembers the events that lead him back home. Once Judy brings Nick back to his senses, she helps him fill in the blanks. Then Nick weigh the truth in the words of his drunk-self

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, here it is. The epilogue to Blessing in Disguise. I guess writing more of the story like this was almost inevitable. Not only did you guys show a lot of love and support to the story, but I feel like I left some big loose ends dangling. So, without further ado... the morning after...

Next thing Nick realized, he was back home, safe in bed, clad in nothing but his boxer shorts. How he got back home, he had no idea, and the splitting headache he had probably had something to do with it. The last thing he could recall was walking out of the chapel, heading down to some bar and sitting down. After that, the events of the evening seemed to conglomerate into one incomprehensible blob. He remembered another fox in a vest, stumbling home while leaning on... something... But in his current state, it was difficult to determine whether or not the events actually happened or was just a dream.

A quick glance toward his closet revealed that his wedding tux was hanging by the doorknob. The once pristine white shirt was now stained with what looked like either vomit or some kind of liquor. He groaned and let out a heaving sigh as he confirmed his suspicions. Last night wasn’t a dream. Victoria broke his heart and left him at the altar. If his life were a romantic comedy, then the plot would have taken a minor detour. Off a cliff.

He supposed there was no sense in putting it off. He needed to get that tux to the dry cleaners to see if they could salvage it. Then he had to return it to Mammal’s Warehouse. Just in a few more minutes. He was more comfortable than he ever had been in his bed, snuggled up to his body pillow. Besides, it’s not like...

Wait... since when did he have a body pillow? And since when did body pillows... _breathe_?

Nick slowly pulled away from the embrace and his heart leapt into his throat in horror. What the hell was Judy doing in his bed? Wasn’t she supposed to be at the academy? Oh no... did something... happen last night?

Scratch that. Not a cliff. A chasm.

When his mind went to the last question, his heart rate accelerated. His head throbbed intensely and his breathing steadily got increasingly heavy. _No. No, no, no, no, no, no... this could not be happening right now. Getting left at the altar was bad enough. And how do I cope with it? By having a fucking one night stand with my best friend! Damn it, what the hell’s wrong with me? How can I ever look at her again? How can I ever face going to work again? How can..._

His thought froze along with his body when he heard Judy stirring. She steadily raised herself from Nick’s arm and turned around. “Oh. Hey, Nick. You’re awake.” She smiled and reached out to touch his face, her lips slightly puckered, but Nick recoiled. Not just with his head, but with his whole body. He hastily shuffled away in fear, kicking the sheets in her direction, as though her touch meant a slow and agonizing death. His head gently banged back against the wall and sent stabbing pains ricocheting like marbles throughout his cranium. He winced and his paw flew up to his head, groaning

For a moment, Judy just sat there, paw still hovering where his face once was. Her ears lowered and she glanced off to the side, embarrassed and hurt. They remained that way for several minutes, not speaking or even glancing at each other.

Finally, Judy broke the silence. “Um... how are you feeling?”

“Like a grenade went off in my head,” Nick groaned, his claws massaging his scalp.

“Oh. I’ll, uh... get you some aspirin.” Judy hopped off the bed and strolled over toward Nick’s medicine cabinet in the bathroom.   


Nick struggled to remember the details of last night. He remembered the fox bartender... what was his name... something with bread... Pita? Pumpernickel? Wheat? The more he thought of it, the less likely it seemed, and they weren’t helping him any. He remembered him saying something about romance or something. Something about him not loving Victoria... fully? That didn’t make any sense. Wait, her last words to him. One sentence stood out above all the rest, “ _Not while it’s clear your heart belongs to someone else..._ ” That’s not true. His heart belonged to Victoria, that’s why he was going to marry her. He loved her... Then why does it feel like he’s lying to himself?

Judy’s feet thumped gingerly as she made her way back to his room, with a glass of water and two pills in her paw. She handed them both to Nick. “This should help.”

Nick popped the pills into his mouth and downed the water like it was a shot. He handed the glass back to Judy, who then placed it on his bedside table.

“Nick, do you remember last night at all?” Judy questioned, her eyes pleading.  


Nick looked at Judy, momentarily speechless as the light from the open window shone above her head before looking back down at the bed. “Just the botched wedding, the bar, the bread guy... everything else blends together in a big mess...” His ears perked up when he realized something then looked back to Judy. “You were there, though.”

Judy nodded. “That’s right, Nick. My phone exploded that day while I was at the academy. Everyone told me what happened at the wedding. I tried calling you, but you wouldn’t pick up. So, I took the first train back to Zootopia. I checked the chapel, but you weren’t there. Clawhauser made sure the cake didn’t go to waste though.” She laughed a little before stopping. Nick’s eyes were wide in anticipation, too eager to have Judy fill in the blanks for him to take notice to her attempt at humor.

She shook her head. “Point is, after searching for most of the night, I finally found you at the bar. You were a drunk mess, you were miserable. You couldn’t even stand on your own. I walked you back to your apartment, took your tux off and hung it up back over by your closet.” Her ears lowered again and she blushed slightly. “Then you talked a lot about a revelation you’ve had about your life...”

“Then we kissed.” Nick recalled before Judy could continue, his eyes going wide in horror. He grabbed Judy by the arms and glared at her with serious determination. At the moment, there was one question that Nick absolutely needed answered. “Carrots. Be straight with me. Did something else... happen last night? Between you and me?”  


Judy simply smiled and shook her head. “I’m still fully clothed, Nick. We did not have sex last night, if that’s what you mean. I’m just glad you remembered one of the best parts of last night.”

Nick heaved a heavy sigh of relief. He smiled and leaned his head back against the wall. Doing something that extreme... and not remembering... Especially to her... He’d never forgive himself if he went all the way like that. It would be the press conference all over again... Only this time it’d last longer than three months

“Wait a sec...” Nick held up a digit and sat up against the wall. “What do you mean ‘one of the best parts’?”  


She simply blushed and lowered her ears, smiling as she looked at something to Nick’s left that didn’t seem to be there. Then she realized something and her smile disappeared as quickly as it materialized

“Carrots?” Nick pushed, slightly annoyed by Judy’s silence. “What else happened last night?”  


“Well...” Judy tilted her head and shrugged her arms, unsure of how to break the news to Nick. “You know how everyone has that level of drunkenness where they say whatever they’re thinking?”  


“Fluff, please. I’m extremely hungover. Not really feeling the ‘guessing game’ thing today.” Nick replied bitterly.  


Judy sighed fearfully and silently handed the carrot pen to Nick, who cradled it in his paw. That pen... that _stupid_  pen... his whole life officially changed with the introduction of that pen. Judy would never have known much more than his name if it weren’t for that pen. The bridge would have been so much less cinematic if he didn’t keep that pen. Bellweather could have gotten away with the predator darting if not for that pen. And in that situation, Zootopia would have been a very different place. Judy’s carrot pen marked major turning points of Nick’s life. Judy’s too. And something told Nick that this situation was no different to any of those prior.

Nick’s thumb gently stroked the play button hesitantly. “Is it already rewound?”

Judy nodded nervously, her foot thumping relentlessly against the carpet of Nick’s bedroom. “Y-yeah... Just hit play.” Judy was usually so sure of herself, but now something has her rattled.

With a near inaudible click, Nick’s thumb depressed into the plastic switch.

The silence remained only for a moment, but it stretched on forever. When Nick’s slightly slurred voice emerged from the speaker, it actually startled both of them.

“ _I want to get this all out now before I slip out of ‘Truth-drunk Nick’ and into ‘Mumbly and giggly Nick’, or possibly pass out and become ‘Hangover Nick’ or ‘Sober Nick’ tomorrow morning and forget everything or deny these feelings and keep them locked up inside until they destroy me_.”   


Nick gripped the pen harder. The next words he said flooded him with emotions once again so he didn’t know what to feel.

“ _Judy Hopps, I love you”_  


Nick’s face turned to stone, an old trick he employed from the past, which effectively hid the mental battle he was having with himself. _Did I really say that? Obviously, she had it recorded! Do I really feel that way? Of course not. You were drunk, you weren’t in your right mind. Then why does it feel true? So right?_

Nick-of-Night’s Past continued on. “ _I love you. Damn it, it feels so good to say. I thought back to when we first met all the way up to the bridge. And when I did, it all rushed over me. I remembered how lost I was without you, and how I expected you to pop back into my life at every waking moment until you finally did”_

_-Well, I have a point there. I felt... what’s the word... crippled without her. . Well, think back now! If it was this obvious to “drunk-you,” It should be crystal clear to you sober!_

_“ And now… I can’t look at you the same way… I feel strange around you… And quite frankly, if you ask me, that’s terrifying. But at the same time, that’s okay, because… Mmmf!”  
_

_-What the hell was that? Was that the kiss? It must’ve been. But why would I cut myself off mid-sentence just to do that? Unless..._

The voice on the recording was replaced with Judy’s.” _Oh hush, you dumb fox. Being sappy really doesn’t suit you.”_ To which Judy’s ears turned strawberry red as the lowered themselves behind her back. Nick clicked the play button again, pausing the recording.

_-Judy initiated it. She wouldn’t do that if she didn’t have feeling for me. But do I really share those feelings with her?_

Judy slowly approached Nick and climbed back on the bed, placing a paw on her knee. “Nick?”

Nick’s face remained stoic. _Am I just vulnerable because of Victoria?_

 _“_ Nick?” Judy repeated and gently shook his knee trying to snap him out of his trance, but to no avail.  


_-No. Victoria has nothing to do with this. What I felt back at the bar is even clearer to me now._

_“_ Nick, you’re freaking me out.”  


_-But... How can I feel like this? She’s a bunny. I’m a fox. We’re far from the same species. Hell, we’re supposed to be natural enemies!_

_“_ Nick, please just say something!” Judy pleaded.  


_-What the hell are you saying, Nick? Are you hearing yourself right now? This is Judy we’re talking about! Your best friend! The first one who saw you beyond what you are. The same one who got you clean and into a legit job. The same Judy that saved your life more times than you can count without even thinking twice about her own well being. And you know that you would do just the same for her. Look at her in all her glory. Do her a favor by seeing her for who she is rather than what she is. To hell with natural enemies! Nicholas Wilde, you love this bunny. From the thumping feet to the blackened tips of her ears. Adorable buck-toothed smile, twitchy nose, amethyst eyes and all._

With that, Nick snapped back to reality. He was still in his room, sitting on his bed leaning against the wall. In front of him, Judy shook his knee wildly, trying to get his attention.

“Nick, please!” The look on her face was more and more desperate. “Dammit, Nick! Will you just..!”  


This time, it was Nick cut her off. His lips flew towards hers in an adrenaline-fueled passion. Her eyes widened so wide, they nearly took over her whole head before she relaxed into the kiss. She moaned into his mouth and ran her tiny paws over the back of his neck. Nick pulled her in closer, cupping her head with one paw and her back with the other as his tail thudded excitedly against the mattress. The same touch that Nick had avoided earlier that day he now found irresistible. The lingering scent of liquor on Nick’s breath didn’t matter at all to Judy anymore. She sandwiched Nick’s lower lip between hers and pushed them out only to envelop them again. In this moment, nothing else mattered except the two of them, in this singular moment of ecstasy.  The moment when their hearts synchronized if only for a few seconds, the moment where any pain or hatred they held over the world dissipated like water vapor on a blazing hot day. The moment where any possible misfortunes would have fallen on deaf ears.

The two reluctantly pulled away from the kiss to breathe, a single strand of saliva keeping the two connected for but a few seconds longer. They stared at each other in silence, panting as though they had finished a triathalon.

“You’re a much better kisser when you’re sober.” Judy snickered, breaking the silence with a slight comedic twist.  


Nick only chuckled before gazing back at Judy. “Hey, Carrots?”

“Yes, Nick?”  


“Don’t delete this recording after 48 hours. Hell, don’t delete it at all.”  


Judy giggled and stood up to place her forehead against Nick’s “I won’t. But I still expect you to remind me of what you said every day.”

“That’s a deal, Carrots.”  


With that, Nick reclined back into his bed and his head fell to the pillow with a _floomph_. Judy laid down next to him, placing her head level with his to gaze back into Nick’s gorgeous eyes for just a little longer, which widened as a small smile appeared over his muzzle as he got an idea. “Fluff, how fast can you get packed?”

Judy’s eyebrow perked up, unsure if she heard him right. “Nick? What did you say?”

Nick reached over her and slid open the drawer in his nightstand. He shuffled around inside for a few moments before brandishing two plane tickets to Boara Boara. He blushed sheepishly. “I know it’s not ideal for either of us, but... I have these tickets that can take us to the honeymoon suite on a far off island. Thing is, we only have an hour and a half to be on that plane. Think of it as a week-long getaway together. So, Judith Laverne Hopps, I ask you again...”

“I never should’ve told you my middle name...”  


“How fast can you get back to your place and packed?”  


Judy let out a small smile. “I’ve waited for this to happen longer than you realize, Nick. Wherever you go, don’t you dare forget to take me with you.” With that, she planted a little kiss on the tip of Nick’s muzzle.

“What about work?”  


“I have some vacation days saved up. I’ll call Bogo and let him know I’m redeeming them now.”  


Judy sat up in Nick’s bed and slid off the edge. “I’ll be back.”

“I don’t doubt you.”  


 And with that, Judy bounded for Nick’s front door, but didn’t leave before bounding back and giving him a quick peck on the lips. Nick muttered something under his breath when Judy sped out his apartment.  


“Because you always did for me.”  


Nicholas Wilde and Judith Hopps, two perfectly imperfect mammals, have found the one thing in each other everyone strives for but very few ever attain. And to say the least, even love in as pure a form as their blazing passion for each other is disorienting. They can name specific parts of each other they love... His smirk, her eyes, each other’s touch, the way his lips taste faintly of blueberries, the way her nose twitches when there’s something she needs to say... but at the same time, they love each other without knowing how. They love each other simply, with no issue to problems or pride. They love each other like this because they are unfamiliar with any other means of loving but this, in which the two are bound as one, so intimate that when one closes their eyes, the other falls asleep. Neither can ever vow to be perfect. The road ahead is obscure and blurry for them, and adversity is pretty much guaranteed. What they can promise to each other is to love each other, through thick and thin. Because love is the best thing we do.  


If anyone told Judy that she’d be falling in love with a fox, or that Nick’s heart really belonged to a bunny with big aspirations several years ago, they’d likely shrug them off as though they were insane. But now, in retrospect, it couldn’t have been more obvious for either of them. Sometimes we search for one thing only to find another. And life has a nasty habit of doing that. We rarely end up where we wanted to be. And for Nick and Judy, that was all right. Because where they ended up was so much better than anywhere else they possibly wanted to be.

Fin


End file.
